The big news out of Los Angeles this morning is that Gustavo Dudamel, the 26-year-old Venezuelan wunderkind, will replace Esa-Pekka Salonen when he leaves the LA Phil at the end of his term in 2009. Salonen plans to spend more of his time composing.

I liked the comment from one of the musicians in today’s Los Angeles Times, something to the effect of “We’re lucky, we did’t to have to grovel for someone to come here like other orchestras”, the article then listing Chicago, New York and a few other places.

Goodbye Saariaho, Lindberg and other Finns on LA Phil concert schedules. Best of all, most likely John Adams and his ilk will get the boot too.

I heard Mr. Dudamel conduct one of the January concerts that sealed his deal and if he can get the orchestra to play that well –oh. my. gawd! the brass played in tune for most of the night, not a given, even under Salonen– on a consistent basis it could be the basis of a beautiful friendship, to use another movie reference.